3 U-Md. students cleared in melee

By
Mike McPhate

Three University of Maryland students were cleared of wrongdoing Thursday in the violent celebration that followed the school’s victory over Duke in March, according to an NBC4 report.

A confrontation between Prince George's County police officers and hundreds of students near the university's College Park campus left 28 people facing criminal charges. Video footage of baton-wielding officers beating one of the revelers, 21-year-old John J. McKenna, drew outrage and led to the suspension of four officers.

One of the three cleared students, David Markham, whom police charged with disorderly conduct, showed video to the judge in which he said he was “knocked to the ground, struck multiple times, handcuffed and taken to jail,” the news station reported. Minutes later the charges were dropped.

Charges against Stephen Harvey were also dropped. Brandon Johnson’s case went to trial, during which an officer said the student gave police the finger and was uncooperative, NBC4 said. He was acquitted for lack of evidence.

The Prince George's police department, county prosecutors and the FBI have all launched investigations into the conduct of officers during the melee.